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Royal Blues Will Be In The Mixx

By STEPHEN SICILIANO Managing Editor

Published : Monday, March 11, 2019 | 4:52 AM

Image Courtesy Louis Ledbetter Facebook

Royalty of a kind will play Pasadena’s “The Mixx” March 12, when Louis Ledbetter, a direct descendant of blues legend “Lead Belly,” straps on a bass and leads his power trio through two sets of updated blues and funk.

Ledbetter was raised in Pasadena, graduated from John Muir High School, moved up to Pasadena Community College, and graduated from Loma Linda University with a degree in social work.

A pure local product, his lineage traces back to Mississippi and the aforementioned family icon whose real name was Huddie William Ledbetter.

“I am really into Mississippi, Georgia blues, Texas blues and I put a modern touch to it,” Ledbetter told Pasadena Now. “It’s really a combination of blues, jazz, and funk.”

Come for a party, he said. “I want to tell you some stories, blues stories, stories of love, you know, conflict, stories of happiness, stories of relationships. So my theme is, ‘Hey, I’m going to tell you some stories and I hope you enjoy it.’”

There are two shows, one at 8 p.m. and another at 10:45 p.m. In between there will be a jam, an open mike, where young talent looking for some exposure and stage experience can brandish their musical chops.

“I’ve invited them to come up and play,” Ledbetter explained, “Just to encourage them. You know, they like music and this is a venue that people play music so I say ‘Come on up,’ to encourage the kids.”

Ledbetter will be joined by bandmates Rick Bryan, a jazz circuit veteran on drums, and guitarist Kurt Burkhart, a New York School of Music product.